Means for filing documents

ABSTRACT

.[.A means for filing documents which is particularly adapted for open filing of various file folders, as for example legal size file folders, and wherein the folders are suspended on horizontal rails and freely slidable longitudinally of the rails, the files suspended below the rails being closely adjacent lower surfaces of a plurality of superimposed files and bars support the file folders on the rails slidably longitudinally thereof, the bars being provided with notches or bearings in their lower edges near their opposite ends so that the file folders, together with the bar, may be placed into a position between superimposed files, as for example, by placing one end of the bar underneath a first rail and then lifting the bar up at its far end and lowering it onto a second rail to engage a respective notch with the rail. The holder may then be pushed back together with the bar and the front end of the bar is raised up behind the first rail and pulled forward and placed over the upper portion of the rail so that the respective notch is engaged with the first rail at the outer side of the open filing system to suspendingly support the file holder and allow it to be slidably moved longitudinally along the rails as desired. The reverse procedure may be taken to remove a file holder and its supporting bar from the filing means of the invention, thus allowing a plurality of superimposed shelves to be utilized under which a pair of rails of the invention support a plurality of file or folder supporting bars, all readily movably mounted on the rails..]. 
     .[.Further, the disclosure relates to an important modification of the invention having reinforced bar structure and novel document connection means especially adapted for holding large documents and groups thereof, such as maps, blueprints, or other large documents which may be suspended on a pair of rails in a similar manner to that hereinbefore described..]. 
     .Iadd.A means for filing documents, such as maps, blueprints, legal files, etc., includes a horizontal supporting bar supported at opposite ends on spaced horizontal rails wherein the bar has a strip-like structure with an upper supporting portion formed concavo-convex in vertical cross-section throughout its length for nesting with adjacent supporting bars, and rail engaging notches near opposite ends of the bar with the notches being relatively long and the inner edges of the notches being spaced apart sufficiently less than the spacing between the rails so that one end of the bar can be moved freely between the rails inside of its respective rail while the other end of the bar is engaged by its rail within its notch. For smaller documents such as legal files, the bars support file folders for holding the files; such arrangement of rails, bars and file folders can be superimposed with similar arrangements or can have closely superimposed shelves. Further there is disclosed a plurality of flexible straps with head portions interlocking in spaced openings in each bar for supporting larger documents. .Iaddend.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a .Iadd.reissue application of U.S. Pat. No.3,850,488 which issued Nov. 26, 1974 upon application Ser. No. 327,743filed Jan. 29, 1973 which was a .Iaddend.continuation-in part of ourcopending application for means for filing documents, Ser. No. 238,040,filed Mar. 27, 1972 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various file folder supports of the prior art have utilized rails andfolders suspended therefrom; however, such prior art devices have notbeen readily adapted for use in combination with open shelf filingcabinets, particularly due to the fact that most folder supporting railsand bars are so constructed that it is necessary to move the filefolders and bars directly upward to a position above the supportingrails in order to remove the respective file folder from the file.

Due to the economy of open shelf filing systems and due to thedesirability thereof with respect to office space, there has been aneconomic trend toward open shelf filing. Most conventional open shelffiling systems have therefore been provided with superimposed shelvesand file folders are merely stacked side by side and tend to fall overor lean against each other without proper means for suspending them.Additionally the proper filing of large documents such as groups ofblueprints and maps have posed a problem since most of these documentshave been placed in large drawers wherein the sheets are laid flat orsuch documents have been stored in cubby-holes in a generally rolledcondition. Various other inconvenient means and methods have been usedto support such large documents, as for example clamps and hooks havebeen used to hange these large documents; however, such means andmethods have been inconvenient and relatively inefficient.

.Iadd.More specifically, rail supported hangers with clamping devicesfor large documents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,210 and GreatBritain Pat. No. 655,910 the latter disclosing a hanger with a pair ofclamping rails formed with mating zig zag vertical profiles to securelygrip an upper edge of a plan, drawing or map therebetween. In U.S. Pat.No. 3,298,374 and Netherlands Pat. No. 6,706,044 there are disclosedhangers with opposite hinged portions extending on opposite sides of adocument or group of documents with tongues or prongs from one portionextending through holes in the documents; the Netherlands patent showinga head on a prong interlocking with a horizontal slot in the oppositeportion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,340 and France Pat. No. 731,238 disclosehangers for documents with lower planar portions having holes thereintogether with binding posts through the holes in the hanger and holes ina document, or folding fasteners extending through the holes in thehanger and holes in a document, to secure the documents to the hanger.These types of hanger arrangements have several deficiencies such asfailing to occupy the minimum amount of space, being relatively moredifficult to attach documents thereto, not offering adequate verticaland horizontal strength, or being relatively more expensive.

In suspended file folder systems, U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,204 shows theremoval of a pair of supporting bars and attached folder by moving thebars and folder toward the rear, tipping the front ends of the barsbelow a front rail, and then moving the bar and folder beneath the frontrail from the filing system; however such bars must be lifted at bothends to disengage notches in such ends from respective front and backrails prior to moving the bar and folder toward the rear; the lifting ofthe rear end can be difficult when the bar and folder can only begripped at the front and the folder contains heavy documents. Astiffening rib or flange formed by a folded back upper edge of asupporting bar is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,915; such foldedback edges increase the thickness of the supporting bars to more thantwice the sheet material of which there are formed and thus take upextra space lessening the number of hangers per unit of horizontalspace. The securement of edge portions of folders by strips integralwith one half of the folder extending through horizontal slots in theopposite half of the folder is disclosed in Great Britain Pat. No.890,810.

The prior art also contains various fastening devices which have littleif any relevance to arrangements for hanging documents on rails; suchfastening devices include U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,354 which illustrates akey secured by a strip including a head having opposite shouldersinterlocking with opposite sides of an opening having a vertical slotportion, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,110 which discloses a plastic filamentwith end bars joined in a T-arrangement therewith to attach a tag tomerchandise. .Iaddend.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a novel combination of means in a filingmeans for holding documents, the combination including .[.superimposedfiles and folder supporting rails spaced directly below eachsuperimposed group of files, and.]. bars having notches in lower endportions thereof engaged with the rails for suspendingly supporting.Iadd.the documents or .Iaddend.file folders, and the notches in thelower edges of the bars which support the file folders are elongated soas to provide for removal of the bars and the respective file folders byraising the outermost ends of the bars above the respective rail at thefront of the filing system, then sliding the bars backwardly until theouter ends of the bars clear the rail at the front of the filing system,then the outer ends of the bars are lowered and removed below theoutermost rail as the rearward ends of the rail are lifted upwardlyslightly to disengage the notches therein from the rearward rail andthus a file folder may readily be removed from open filing means of theinvention without raising the file folder or supporting bar structureupward a substantial distance above the rails, and to thereby allow asuperimposed group of files to be placed directly above the rails inclose proximity thereto and to afford a plurality of superimposed groupsof files between which file folders may be slidingly and suspendinglysupported, and very conveniently removable and replaceable onto therails.

Additionally, the invention comprises novel construction of theaforementioned bars wherein a .[.pliable.]. .Iadd.strip-like.Iaddend.document holding structure is reinforced .[.by a reinforcingmember.]. in a horizontal load carrying structure of the bar, and.[.wherein the reinforcing member may be substantially rigid relative tothe relatively pliable document supporting structure of the bar, and.].wherein the reinforcing portion of the bar is relatively concavo-convexin order to provide substantial structural strength as well as to nestwith adjacent like portions of a plurality of such bars in order toprovide compact horizontal relationship of the bars and the documentholding structure in connection therewith.

.Iadd.Further an arrangement for hanging a document on railscontemplates a bar with a document holding structure having a pluralityof openings spaced between rail engaging ends of the bar together with aplurality of flexible straps adapted to secure the document and havingheads for interlocking in the openings of the bar. .Iaddend.

.[.The.]. .Iadd.Still further the .Iaddend. document holding structureof the bars .[.being.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.made of pliable material and.[.having.]. .Iadd.has .Iaddend.punched out document holding elongatedstraps having enlarged head portions which may be lockingly connected inslots from which the straps are punched out, to thereby provide abayonet locking arrangement and whereby an intermediate portion of eachstrap extends through an opening in a large document such as a largeblueprint or a group thereof, or through maps or other large documents,as desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelrail and supporting bar structure which is adapted for use in open shelffiling system for filing small documents such as legal file folders maycontain, and further the invention is adapted for use in supportingrelatively large documents such as blueprints and maps or the like,either in small numbers or in groups, as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf, rail and barmechanism for removably supporting file folders in an open filing systemto provide the utmost convenience in removing and replacing files fromrails in close proximity to the underside of superimposed groups offiles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bar constructionwhich is adapted to suspend documents on a pair of spaced apart rails,said novel construction comprising an extrusion of pliable materialhaving a generally channel shaped cross section wherein a reinforcingmember of relatively .[.high.]. .Iadd.rigid .Iaddend. material isreadily slidably positionable therein by sliding the reinforcing memberlongitudinally in the generally channel shaped structure of the pliablemember, all of which affords simplicity of construction, economy ofmanufacture, and structural rigidity of the bar for holding substantialloads such as may be imposed by groups of large documents such asblueprints and maps or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pair of railstogether with a bar structure of the invention removably supported onthe rails and suspending a group of large documents such as blueprints,maps or the like;

FIG. 2 is fragmentary cross sectional view of the structure shown inFIG. 1, and showing a manner in which the document supporting bar of theinvention may be removed or replaced relative to the bar supportingrails of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the document supportingbar of the invention fully engaged with the bar supporting rails andrelated to an element of a cabinet structure;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a document supporting bar of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing thedocument supporting bar of the invention made of two different materialsto provide for structural strength as well as pliability of the documentsupporting portion of the bar;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of another structural arrangement ofthe document supporting bar of the invention showing a reinforcingmember held partially encapsulated in a channel shaped in cross sectionportion of a pliable document supporting bar structure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the documentsupporting part of the bar shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the strapshown in FIG. 7 being adapted to extend through holes in large documentsfor connecting them to the document supporting bar of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an end view of a pair of document supporting bars such asshown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings with a plurality of largedocuments, such as blueprints, maps, or the like, secured therebetweenby conventional staple type clips extending through the bars and throughthe openings in the respective documents held between the bars;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the filing means for holding documentsof the invention, adapted for open shelf filing of documents such aslegal size folders or the like, and wherein a plurality of superimposedshelves are disposed having rails and bars of the invention directlybelow the shelves such that the folders must be removed downwardly andoutwardly below the respective shelves;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rails and a pair of foldersupporting bars of the invention carrying a substantially open folderadapted to contain legal size files or the like;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the filing means and open shelvesshown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, and illustrating the manner in whichthe folder supporting bars may be moved longitudinally out of engagementwith the front rail of the invention and slideably moved forward andoutward to carry file folders out of the space between the shelveswithout having to remove the files upward to clear the file holders andbars from the rails which are in close proximity to the lower sides ofthe respective shelves;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 11 but showing thebars and folders of the invention fully engaged with the rails of theopen shelf filing system so that the bars and folders may be slidablymoved longitudinally of the rails to accommodate disposition of adjacentfolders;

FIG. 13 is an end view of one of the folder and bar assemblies of theinvention, such as shown in perspective in FIG. 10 of the drawings;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing on enlarged scale the details of afile identifying tab structure which is provided with opposedprojections adapted to interlock with openings in the edge of arespective folder.

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of a modification of the invention;

FIG. 16 is another diagrammatic view showing fragmentary structuresimilar to that disclosed in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the drawings; and

FIG. 17 is a view of structure similar to FIG. 10 but showingsuperimposed pairs of rails supporting document carrying bars such thatthe superimposed rails allow removal of the bars from the rails andbelow respective pairs thereof without causing interference of the lowerextremities of the document holding means with the respective pair ofrails therebelow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the filing means of theinvention is provided with a frame 20 which may include a cabinet havinga back wall 22 with end walls such as the wall 24 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3of the drawings. Thus the frame of the invention may comprise a backwall 22 and a pair of spaced apart end walls 24 which support first andsecond .Iadd.horizontally spaced-apart .Iaddend.rails 26 and 28. Theserails 26 and 28 are provided with basic load carrying structures 30 and32, respectively, and are provided with rail portions 34 and 36,respectively. The rail portion 34 is provided with an outer side 38 andan inner side 40 while the rail portion 36 is provided with an outerside 42 and an inner side 44; .Iadd.the inner sides 40 and 44 facingeach other.Iaddend.. Opposite ends of the rail structure 26 and 28 maybe supported between end walls of the box-shaped frame such as between apair of spaced apart end walls 24, while the rail 28 is disposedadjacent an inner side 46 at the rear of the frame 20 which is generallya box-shaped cabinet having an open front 48 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,and this front 48 may be enclosed by suitable sliding or other doors, ifdesired.

A .Iadd.horizontally elongated strip-like .Iaddend.document supportingbar 50, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is provided with a normally loweredge .[.portion.]. 52 .[.having.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.notches 54 and 56therein which are recessed upwardly above .Iadd.the lower edge 52proximate the opposite end edges of the bar 50 but leaving.Iaddend.first and second .Iadd.downward extending stop-portions or.Iaddend.ends 58 and 60 of the bar 50 .Iadd.forming the outer boundariesof the notches 54 and 56.Iaddend.. It will be seen that the first andsecond .[.notch portions.]. .Iadd.notches .Iaddend. 54 and 56 are of alength extending longitudinally along the bar 50 which is substantiallygreater than the width of each of the rails between the inner and outersides thereof, as for example the rail portion 34 is quite narrowbetween its outer side 38 and inner side 40, and the notch 54 issubstantially longer longitudinally along the bar 50 than the overallthickness or width of the rail portion 34, and this relationship alsoexists with respect to the notch 56 and the rail 36 so that the bar 50may be slidably moved with the notch 56 engaging the rail 36 such thatthe end 58 may clear the inner side 40 of the rail 34 and be movedupwardly in accordance with an arrow A in FIG. 2 of the drawings to aposition above the rail 34, whereupon the bar 50 may be moved in thedirection of the rail 34 thereabove and lowered thereonto, into theposition as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. It will be noted that therail 36 is spaced from the inner side 46 of the back wall 22 a distancesubstantially greater than the length of the notch 56 so as to permitclearance of the end 60 of the bar 50 when moved to the position shownin FIG. 2.

End .[.portions.]. .Iadd.edges or boundaries .Iaddend.62 and 64,respectively, of .Iadd.opposite ends of a lower generally planar portionof the bar 50 between .Iaddend.the notches 54 and 56 are adapted toextend downwardly between the respective rail portions 34 and 36adjacent the inner sides 40 and 44, respectively, thereof, and the ends58 and 60 of the bar 50 are disposed to engage the outer sides 38 and 42of the rail portions 34 and 36, respectively, to limit longitudinalmovement of the bar 50 on the rails so as to prevent longitudinaldisplacement thereof when the bars 50 are moved longitudinally of therail portions 34 and 36. .Iadd.The length between the edge 64 and theend edge of the bar 50 at the end 58 is less than the space or distancebetween the inner sides 40 and 44 of the rails to permit the freemovement of the end 58 past the inner side 40 of the rail 34 while therail 42 is engaged in the notch 56; similarly the length between theedge 62 and the end edge of the bar 50 at the end 60 is less than thespace between the rails 34 and 36. .Iaddend.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the.[.rail.]. .Iadd.bar .Iaddend.50 disclosed in FIG. 1 at its end 58 maybe removed from the rail portion 34 and tilted downwardly to theposition shown in FIG. 2 whereupon the end portion 60 may be raisedslightly to clear the rail 36 and the bar 50, together with documents.[.66, and.]. .Iadd.79.Iaddend., may be removed from a position belowthe rail 30 in the direction of the arrow B, as shown in FIG. 2 of thedrawings.

When replacing the bar 50 relative to the rails 30 and 32, the reverseprocedure is followed such as to first place the end 60 of the bar 50below the rail 30 and move it oppositely relative to the arrow B to aposition wherein the end 60 is above the rail portion 36, whereupon itmay be lowered into the position as shown in FIG. 2. Then the end 58 ofthe bar is moved upwardly in the direction of the arrow A to a positionabove the rail portion 34 and then moved in the direction of the arrow Buntil the end 58 is disposed beyond the outer side 38 of the railportion 34. The bar 50 may then be lowered to the position as shown inFIG. 3 wherein it suspendingly supports documents .[.66.]. .Iadd.79.Iaddend.therefrom. Such documents may be heavy blueprints or maps, orgroups thereof, as desired.

The procedure for engaging the bar with the rails, as hereinbeforedescribed, applies to the species of the invention as shown in FIGS. 9to 14, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.cross sectional shape of the bar 50, asshown in FIG. 4, comprises a .Iadd.upper .Iaddend.load carrying.Iadd.portion or .Iaddend.structure 66 and a .Iadd.lower.Iaddend.document supporting .Iadd.or carrying portion or.Iaddend.structure 68. .Iadd.The width of the strip-like bar extends inthe vertical direction. .Iaddend.The load carrying structure is integralwith the document supporting structure 68, as shown in FIG. 4, and thisload carrying structure 66 is generally concavo-convex, having a concaveside 70 and a convex side 72 .Iadd.throughout the length of thestructure 66.Iaddend.. It will be seen that the cross section may beangular or curved, as desired, however, this structure is so arranged toprovide stiffness in both vertical and lateral directions in order tosupport heavy documents in connection with the document supportingportion 68. This portion 68 is provided with holes 74 therein, throughwhich a clip or staple 76, as shown in FIG. 8 may be inserted.Alternatively, a staple 77 may be machine installed through the documentsupporting structure 68 to hold a document, as indicated by broken lines79, in suspended relation to the bar 50.

As shown in FIG. 8, it will be seen that a plurality of the bars 50 maybe utilized at opposite sides of a large group of blueprints or maps.[.66.]. .Iadd.79 .Iaddend.with the staple 76 extending through theholes 74 and in this manner a pair of the concavo-convex structures 66may be nested wherein the convex portion 72 of one bar 50 is .Iadd.matedor .Iaddend.nested with the generally concave portion 70 of the adjacentbar, thus providing for horizontal compactness in the filing of thedocuments in connection with the bars, and also providing lateralstiffness of the bars both as to vertical deflection and horizontaldeflection.

In the modified bar 50, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the loadcarrying structure 66 is preferably made of a relatively hard materialsuch as hard plastic, extruded aluminum, or the like, and a.Iadd.generally planar .Iaddend.lower portion constituting the documentsupporting portion 68 may be made of a relatively soft pliable material,and these relatively hard and soft materials may be integral with eachother or bonded together at a transition 78, all as shown best in FIG. 5of the drawings.

The pliable portion 68 may have the same characteristics as a pliabledocument supporting portion 80 of the structure shown in FIG. 6, wherein.Iadd.flexible .Iaddend.document supporting .Iadd.fasteners or.Iaddend.straps 82 .Iadd.with head portions or segments 96 interlockingwith enclosed openings 108 in the supporting portion 80 .Iaddend.areutilized for supporting the documents .[.66.]. .Iadd.79.Iaddend., all aswill be hereinafter described.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the flexible portion 68 of thebar 50, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, may contain the straps 82 asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pliable .Iadd.planar .Iaddend.documentsupporting portion 80 is .[.provided with.]. .Iadd.integrally affixed orjoined at its upper boundary with a lower boundary of a central segmentof .Iaddend. a generally concavo-convex channel structure 84 forming apart of the load carrying structure of the invention. This portion 84 isprovided with channel portions 86 and 88 which retain generally upperand lower edges 90 and 92 of a metallic reinforcing member 94, It willtherefore be appreciated that the portions 80 and 84 may be extruded ofsoft pliable material such as plastic, and the reinforcing member 94 maybe made of sheet metal or the like.

Punched out of the document supporting portion 80 is a plurality of thestraps 82, hereinbefore described. Each strap 82 is .Iadd.elongated and.Iaddend.provided .Iadd.at one end .Iaddend.with an enlarged headportion 96 having oppositely directed .Iadd.horizontal abutments or.Iaddend.edges 98 and 100 which .[.overlie.]. .Iadd.interlock with.Iaddend.respective opposite edges 102 and 104 of a .Iadd.lowerelongated vertical .Iaddend.slot .Iadd.portion of the opening 108.Iaddend.from which the strap 82 is punched out. .Iadd.At the other end,each strap 82 is integral with or remains unsevered from the portion 80..Iaddend.

Inasmuch as the strap is pliable, it may be inserted through openings inblueprints .[.66.]. .Iadd.79, .Iaddend.these openings being designated106 in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The straps 82, when inserted through theopenings 106, may then be inserted through the .Iadd.enclosed openingsor .Iaddend.slot portion 108 from which the head portion 96 is stampedand the opposite portions 98 and 100 .[.overlie.]. .Iadd.engage.Iaddend.the opposite edges 102 and 104 of the slot, thereby captivatingthe strap 82 in a loop shaped arrangement as it extends through theopenings 106 of the document .[.66.]. .Iadd.79, .Iaddend.all as shownbest in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings. Thus, heavy documents andlarge, long documents such as blueprints, maps, or the like, may be heldeither singly or in groups on the bar 50 of the invention as shown inFIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings.

In the .[.specie.]. .Iadd.species .Iaddend.of the invention as shown inFIGS. 9 to 14 of the drawings, a plurality of superimposed shelves 110may be vertically superimposed in spaced apart relationship and theseshelves 110 are located in generally horizontal relationship to eachother. Below each shelf are rails, in pairs, similar to that asdisclosed in FIG. 1 of the drawings. These rails are designated 112 and114 in FIGS. 9 to 12 inclusive. Opposite ends of the rails 112 aresupported on clips 116 in connection with vertical members 118 of theopen shelf structure shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings.

The rail 114 is provided with a bracket portion 120 which is secured tothe inner side of a wall structure 122 of the open shelf means at therear edges of the shelf structures 110, as shown best in FIGS. 11 and 12of the drawings.

It will be appreciated that due to the disposition of the shelves 110adjacent to the rails 112 and 114, that file folders 124 may not bemoved upwardly above the rails in order to remove the folders from aposition between the superimposed shelves 110. Accordingly, the samemanner of operation as hereinbefore described in FIGS. 1 and 3 of thedrawings occurs with respect to the species shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 ofthe drawings. This structure, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises a pair ofbars 126 which are functionally similar to the hereinbefore describedbars 50 and these bars 126 support a generally V-shaped folder 124 suchthat files or papers may be inserted between the bars 126 and betweenthe opposite sides 126 and 128 of the folders 124.

A pair of the bars 126 is thus used to support the generally V-shapedfolder 124, and these bars 126, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 of thedrawings, may readily be operable in a manner with respect to the rails112 and 114 such as hereinbefore described, relative to the bar 50 andthe respective rail portions 34 and 36.

Each bar 126 is provided with a pair of notches 130 and 132 which aresimilar to the notches 54 and 56, hereinbefore described, relative tothe structure described in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings.

Outer marginal edges of the sides 126 and 128 are provided with tabsupported openings 134, and these openings are arranged in straight rowsand spaced apart equally so as to receive projections 136 at oppositeends of an identification tab 138, shown in detail in FIG. 14 of thedrawings.

It will be obvious that the projections 136 may be deflected and sprunginto a pair of respective openings 134, and that the tabs may be thusvertically located in various positions so that tabs 138 of an adjacentfolder 124 will not overlap or obscure each other in adjacentrelationship. The tabs 138 are each provided with two designation areas140 and 142, as shown in FIG. 14 of the drawings, however, variouslabels and/or indicia may be carried by the tabs 138, as desired, foridentifying subject matter in the respective folders 124.

In the operation of the species of the invention as shown in FIGS. 9 to14 of the drawings, the removal of the bars 126, together with arespective folder 124, is accomplished in accordance with the disclosureof FIGS. 11 and 12 which corresponds with the mode of operationdescribed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and thus the bars 126 andrespective folders 124 are capable of being removed from the rails 112and 114 directly below a respective shelf 110 which prevents the folders124 from being removed upwardly above the rails 112 and 114.Accordingly, this combination of elements affords means for providing avery efficient open shelf filing system of very compact high capacity,and which also provides for the slidable suspension of the foldersbetween the shelves. Accordingly, the manner in which the bars 126 andthe folders 124 are removed from the rails 112 and 113 in their closeproximity to the superimposed shelves 110, affords a combination ofelements which is particularly advantageous for use in the open shelffiling system wherein files such as legal size files or the like may bedisposed and stored.

As shown in FIG. 15 of the drawings, a pair of rails 150 and 152 supporta bar 154 and the rails 150 and 152 are carried by rail support means156 which may comprise a wall and/or a suitable frame, as desired. Therail 152 may be supported by one or more vertical frame members 158 asshown in FIG. 17.

Each document supporting bar is provided with a normally lower edge 160adapted to bear upon upper edges 162 and 164 of the rails 150 and 152.The rail 150 is provided with an outer side 166 and an inner side 168while the rail 152 is provided with an outer side 170 and an inner side172. The inner sides 168 and 172 face each other, all as shown in FIG.15 of the drawings. Opposite ends 174 and 176 of the bar 154 areprovided with downwardly extending stop portions 178 and 180,respectively, which are engageable with the outer sides 166 and 170 ofthe rails 150 and 152, to limit longitudinal movement of the bar 154 ina direction laterally of the longitudinal direction of the elongatedrails 150 and 152, all as shown best in FIGS. 15 and 17 of the drawings.As shown in FIG. 15 of the drawings, the length of each stop portion 178and 180 is disposed in a direction longitudinally of the respective bar154, and this length of the stop portion 178, combined with the width ofthe rail, as for example, the rail 150 from its outer side 166 to itsinner side 168, equals a distance A. Thus, the combined length of thestop portion 178 and the width of the rail 150 equals the dimension A asshown in FIG. 15 of the drawings, and the lower edge 160 of the rail 154adjacent the respective inner sides 168 and 172 of the rails 150 and 152equals a dimension B, this lower portion 160 being unobstructed for thedistance B extending away from the inner side of each of the respectiverails, and the distance B being at least equal to or greater than thedistance A so that the bar 154, when in the broken line position asshown in FIG. 15, has its stop portion 180 in position to clear theinner side 172 of the rail 152 while the end 174 of the bar 154 isextended to a position wherein it is substantially spaced from the outerside of the rail 166 and the rail support means, namely, the wall 156 isspaced from the outer side of the rail 166 a sufficient distance toallow unobstructed movement of the end 174 of the bar to the broken lineposition shown in FIG. 15, to allow the opposite end 176 to clear theinner side of the rail 152. Additionally, it will be seen that adocument support 181 or a document is provided with opposite edges 183and 185 which are spaced a distance B equal to the unobstructed distanceof the lower edge 160 of the bar 154, and these edges 183 and 185 arenormally spaced this distance away from the respective inner sides ofthe rails 150 and 152 when the respective stop portions 178 and 180 areclosely adjacent to the respective outer sides 166 and 170 of the rails150 and 152. Thus the assembly of the bar 154 and the document holdingmeans 181 provides an unobstructed relationship relative to the innersides of the rails so that the bar 154 carrying the document holdingmeans may be moved longitudinally of the bars and laterally of the railsa sufficient distance to allow one outer end of each bar to clear arespective inner side of a respective rail so that the removal procedureof the bar and the respective document holding means may be carried out,as herenbefore described, in connection with FIG. 11 of the drawings.

With reference to FIG. 16, it will be obvious that the notch 130 in thebar 126, as shown in FIG. 11, comprises an unobstructed area equal tothe dimension B so as to provide clearance relative to the inner side ofthe respective rail, as hereinbefore described in FIG. 15 of thedrawings. Accordingly, the clearence of an end 131 of the notch 130 isgeneric to the clearance described in connection with FIG. 15, whetherit relates to the end of the notch or the edge of a document or adocument holding means.

In the modification as shown in FIG. 17, the bars 154 are in pairs andhold generally V-shaped document holding means similar to that describedin connection with FIG. 10 of the drawings, and the rails 150 and 152are in pairs, there being two superimposed pairs shown, each documentholding means having a lower extremity 188 which is spaced sustantiallyabove the next lowermost pair of rails 150 and 152 to allow clearance ofsaid lower extremity 188 as the bars 154 are disengaged from the rails150 and 152 and moved outwardly therebelow in a manner as hereinbeforedescribed in connection with FIG. 11 of the drawings. It will be thusunderstood that the removal of the bars 154, shown in FIG. 15, may beaccomplished in a manner similar to that described in FIG. 11 of thedrawings.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the invention maybe resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

We claim:
 1. Document filing apparatus, comprising:a frame includingrail support means and first and second elongated substantiallyhorizontally-disposed rails each being of equal width and each havingopposite inner and outer sides, said first and second rails beingdisposed in horizontal spaced-apart relationship with said inner sidesof said rails facing each other; and a plurality of elongateddocument-supporting bars each having a load carrying upper portion and adocument carrying lower portion, each said upper portion extending thefull length of said bar and being generally concavo-convex in crosssection to provide supporting strength for said bar and to provide arelatively compact horizontal nesting relationship with other like barspositioned adjacent to each other, said lower portion being generallyplanar in configuration with an upper boundary thereof affixed to alower boundary of said upper portion, .Iadd.each of .Iaddend.said.[.lower portion.]. .Iadd.bars .Iaddend.having first and second notchesformed therein proximate the ends of said bar, said notches openingdownwardly away from said upper portion for receiving respective ones ofsaid rails when said bar is positioned thereupon, that part of saidlower portion extending between said first and second notches includinga plurality of fastening means each comprised of an integral flexiblefastener and opening means for affixing documents to said supportingbar, .[.the end-most parts of said lower portion forming stops.]..Iadd.first and second downwardly extending stop portions on therespective ends of the bar, said stop portions being .Iaddend.of equallength extending in a direction longitudinal of said bar, said first andsecond notches each having a longitudinal length greater than thecombined widths of said first and second rails and the length of one ofsaid .[.stops.]. .Iadd.stop portions .Iaddend.such that when said firstend of said bar is raised, said bar may be moved in said longitudinaldirection toward said second rail far enough that said one end may belowered to clear said inner side of said first rail while said secondnotch is still engaged with said second rail, thus allowing said secondnotch to thereafter be disengaged from said second rail by longitudinalmovement of said bar beneath said first rail and in a direction awayfrom said second rail while said bar is tilted to an inclined positionand said second end of said bar is raised slightly to clear said secondrail wherein said flexible fastener and opening means includes anelongated strap having an enlarged head segment at one end .Iadd.severedfrom said lower portion, .Iaddend.the other end of said strap remainingunsevered from said lower portion, the severed strap and head segmentleaving a generally key-shaped opening in said lower portion wherebywhen said strap is used to form a loop for affixing documents to saidsupporting bar, said head segment may be locked within said opening byslipping said head segment through that part of the opening formerlyoccupied by the elongated portion of the strap.
 2. Document filingapparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein each said supporting bar furtherincludes a reinforcing member having a concavo-convex cross section formating with said upper portion and wherein said upper portion includesupper and lower channel portions for receiving the upper and lower edgesof said reinforcing member.
 3. A document supporting bar for use inhanging documents upon a pair of spaced-apart rails, comprising:anelongated load-carrying upper portion having a generally concavo-convextransverse cross section; and a generally planar lower portion.[.including a rectangular central segment and a pair of generallyL-shaped end segments, said central segment.]. including an upperboundary .[.at which said central segment is.]. secured to .Iadd.a lowerboundary of a central segment of .Iaddend.said upper portion, and a pairof end boundaries, said .[.central segment.]. .Iadd.lower portion.Iaddend.further including a plurality of fastening means each comprisedof an integral flexible fastener and opening means for affixing saiddocuments to said supporting bar, .[.said L-shaped segments including afirst boundary aligned with an end of said upper portion, a secondboundary at which said L-shaped segment is secured to said upperportion, a third boundary coincident with one of said end boundaries, afourth boundary forming a rail-engaging surface, and a fifth boundaryforming a stop and cooperating with said fourth boundary and theadjacent one of said end boundaries to form a rail-receiving notch.]..Iadd.a pair of stop portions extending downward from the respectiveopposite ends of the upper portion, said stop portions and said endboundaries of the lower portion defining a pair of rail receivingnotches proximate the ends of the bar .Iaddend.wherein said flexiblefastener and opening means includes an elongated strap having anenlarged head segment at one end .Iadd.severed from said lowerportion.Iaddend., the other end of said strap remaining unsevered fromsaid lower portion, the severed strap and head segment leaving agenerally key-shaped opening in said lower portion whereby when saidstrap is used to form a loop for affixing documents to said supportingbar, said head segment may be locked within said opening by slippingsaid head segment through the part of the opening formerly occupied bythe elongated portion of the strap.
 4. A document supporting bar asrecited in claim 3 wherein said upper portion is relatively rigid andsaid lower portion is relatively flexible.
 5. A document supporting baras recited in claim 3 and further including an elongated reinforcingmember having a concavo-convex cross section for mating with said upperportion, and wherein said upper portion includes upper and lower channelportions for receiving the upper and lower edges of said reinforcingmember. .Iadd.
 6. A document supporting arrangement for use in hangingdocuments upon a pair of horizontally spaced-apart rails, comprising:anelongated strip-like supporting bar having an upper load carryingportion with ends adapted to be supported by the rails, said strip-likesupporting bar having its width extending vertically, said strip-likebar having a lower document supporting portion with a plurality ofspaced openings intermediate the ends of the bar, a plurality of spacedflexible straps corresponding to the spaced openings, said flexiblestraps exending through the respective openings at one ends thereof,said flexible straps having head portions on the one ends thereof, eachof said head portions having a pair of oppositely directed abutments forinterlocking with the document supporting portion on opposite sides ofthe openings to secure the one ends of the straps, means securing theother ends of the straps and supporting the documents on the straps sothat the documents are carried by the straps on the document supportingportion, and said openings having a shape permitting insertion andwithdrawal of the head portions of the straps. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 7. Adocument supporting arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein saidstraps are elongated, and the other ends of the straps are integral withthe supporting bar. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 8. A document supporting bar for usein hanging documents upon a pair of spaced-apart rails, comprising: ahorizontally elongated load carrying upper strip-like structure, thewidth of said upper strip-like structure extending vertically, saidupper strip-like structure having a length for extending at oppositeends thereof over the rails to be supported thereby, said upperstrip-like structure further having a vertical cross section formedconcavo-convex throughout the length of the upper strip-like structure,the concave and convex sides of said concavo-convex cross section beingformed to mate with respective convex and concave sides of adjacentsupporting bars whereby a plurality of supporting bars can be nestedtogether on the rails, a generally vertical planar lower portionintegral with the upper strip-like structure and extending downwardtherefrom, said lower portion having a dimension parallel to the lengthof the upper strip-like structure less than the space between the railsso as to extend downward therebetween, and said lower portion includingmeans for attaching a document to the supporting bar. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9.A document supporting arrangement including the document supporting baras claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for attaching a documentincludes a plurality of spaced openings formed in the lower portion,said supporting arrangement further including a plurality of flexiblestraps adapted to support the documents wherein said straps have headportions on one ends thereof for interlocking with the openings in thelower portion and have means at the other ends thereof for securing thestraps so that the documents are carried by the straps on the lowerportion, and said openings having a shape permitting insertion andwithdrawal of the head portions of the straps. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 10. Adocument supporting bar for use in supporting documents upon first andsecond spaced rails, comprising:an elongated load-carrying upperstructure having first and second ends, a generally planar lowerdocument supporting portion integrally joined at its upper boundary withthe lower boundary of a central segment of the upper structure, firstand second stop portions extending downward from the upper structure atthe respective first and second ends of the upper structure, said lowerdocument supporting portion having first and second ends which with therespective first and second stop portions define respective first andsecond notches in the bottom of the supporting bar for receiving therespective first and second rails with the stop portions extending onouter sides of the rails, said second notch having a dimension extendinglongitudinally along the bar greater than the combined width of saidfirst and second rails and said first stop, and said second end of thedocument supporting portion being spaced from the first end of the upperstructure by less than the space between the rails such that the firstend of the upper structure can be lifted to raise the first stop abovethe rail and the supporting bar can be slid on the second rail entirelywithin the second notch until the first end of the upper structure andthe first stop portion are free to move downward inside of the firstrail. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 11. A document supporting bar as claimed in claim10 wherein said upper structure is strip-like, the width of thestrip-like upper structure extends vertically, said strip-like structurehas a vertical cross section formed concavo-convex throughout the lengthof the upper strip-like structure, and the concave and convex sides ofsaid concavo-convex cross section are formed to mate with respectiveconvex and concave sides of adjacent supporting bars whereby a pluralityof supporting bars can be nested together on the rails. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. A document supporting arrangement including the document supportingbar as claimed in claim 10 wherein said lower document supportingportion includes a plurality of openings spaced therein, and saidsupporting arrangement further includes a plurality of flexible strapsadapted to support the documents, said straps having head portions onone ends thereof for interlocking with the openings in the lowerdocument supporting portion and having means at the other ends thereoffor securing the straps so that the documents are carried by the strapson the lower document supporting portion, and said openings having ashape permitting insertion and withdrawal of the head portions of thestraps. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 13. A document supporting arrangement as claimedin claim 12 wherein said upper structure is strip-like, the width of thestrip-like upper structure extends vertically, said strip-like upperstructure has a vertical cross section formed concavo-convex throughoutthe length of the strip-like upper structure, and the concave and convexsides of said concavo-convex cross section are formed to mate withrespective convex and concave sides of adjacent supporting bars wherebya plurality of supporting bars can be nested together on the rails..Iaddend.